The battlefield continued to buzz with the excitement of the spectators as Isein took the microphone, ready to announce the next match.

—Alright, now that we have the third result of these intense duels and the candidate Hino is being treated by the paramedics, we’ll begin the next battle.

The cheers and applause of the students echoed through the air, filled with anticipation.

—This fight will be one to remember, as it will pit the experienced candidate Katashi against one of the two Kings of Arkanum. That’s right, we’re talking about the coldest man in the world: the great Igurū Shirokuma.

The roar of the crowd intensified, and a group of female students quickly made their presence known.

—Igurū, we love you! —they shouted in unison.

Meanwhile, Katashi and Igurū stepped forward onto the platform. The former, with a furrowed brow and clenched fists, fixed his gaze on his opponent.

—Well, who would’ve thought we’d end up facing each other, Igurū —Katashi said, his voice tense—. I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since you defeated the previous King…

Igurū, impassive, barely glanced at him.

—Hmm… I’m not interested in what you have to say. Just keep in mind that I won’t go easy on you —he replied coldly.

Katashi’s jaw tightened.

—Wow, you’re so arrogant! Don’t you realize I have the advantage since I’m wielding my Reiken? —he shot back confidently.

Igurū didn’t flinch.

—So what? If in four years you haven’t managed to become a Sentinel, that says a lot about you, don’t you think?

The disdain in his tone was the spark that ignited Katashi’s anger. In a fit of rage, he grabbed Igurū by the collar of his protective suit.

—You damn son of a…!

—Katashi, save that enthusiasm for the battle! —intervened Teacher Kaishin, separating them with authority.

Katashi let go of Igurū, though his eyes still burned with fury.

—You’re dead, Igurū…

Both took their positions on the platform, the air thick with tension.

Kaishin watched them sternly.

—I expect a fair fight… and that goes especially for you, Katashi —he said with a clear warning in his tone.

He raised his hand and quickly brought it down.

—Begin!

Katashi wasted no time.

—Come to me, Reiken of the Rhino!

A grayish armor materialized over his body as his Reiken, imposing and heavy, took shape in his hands. Without hesitation, he charged at his opponent.

—I’ll tear you apart, Igurū! Rhino Horn!

The crowd held their breath as a massive rhinoceros made of stone charged toward Igurū.

But Igurū didn’t even move.

—Starting with your strongest move right off the bat… What a pathetic waste of energy —he thought coldly.

The impact was approaching fast, but with a single fluid motion of his sword, Igurū deflected the attack with an ease that left everyone speechless.

—That’s impossible! —shouted Katashi, his eyes filled with disbelief—. How can you…?

Igurū looked at him with disdain.

—You’re pathetic —he said emotionlessly—. Did you really think I’d come up here without a strategy? I knew you’d use your strongest attack to keep me from dodging. But you made a mistake. You relied on the brute force of your Reiken without considering your lack of speed and agility. That’s your real weakness.

Murmurs of amazement spread through the crowd.

—Wow, that’s incredible! I expected nothing less from one of the Kings… —the students whispered.

Igurū advanced calmly, his presence more intimidating than ever.

—I won’t deny that your tactic had logic, but it was desperate.

Katashi barely had time to react. In the blink of an eye, Igurū was already behind him.

—You’re running low on energy —he whispered in his ear—. Time for the finishing blow.

Igurū’s sword struck his opponent with precision. Katashi collapsed on the platform, defeated.

—Never underestimate your opponent, no matter how weak they seem.

Kaishin raised his hand and declared the result.

—The match is over! The winner is Igurū Shirokuma.

A burst of applause shook the air.

—Igurū, you’re the best! We love you, Igurū! —the female students shouted, euphoric.

But Igurū, with his usual indifference, left the platform without even glancing at the audience.

Isein, with a smile, took the microphone again, pleased with the excitement of the moment.

—Alright, now that we have the fourth result of these intense battles and the candidate Katashi is being treated by the paramedics, we’ll begin the next match. —The cheers and applause of the students echoed through the air—. This time, we’ll see the strongest of the candidates, Sukasa Kaze, face off against our second King, Kuro Akemi!

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The applause and cheers of excitement continued as Sukasa and Kuro made their way to the platform. Sukasa, her gaze fixed on Kuro, couldn’t help but feel a slight nervousness. She knew this fight would be different from the others. Kuro wasn’t like the rest; he was unpredictable, and that made him dangerous.

Both took their positions on the platform, ready to begin.

—I expect a fair fight… —said Kaishin before giving a stern look to Kuro—. I’ll deal with you later. —His tone reflected clear irritation as he raised his arm to start the match—. Alright, begin!

Sukasa, steady in her stance, raised her arm to summon her Reiken.

—Come to me, Reiken of the Eagle! —she exclaimed with determination.

The powerful weapon appeared in her hand, accompanied by an elegant light green armor that highlighted a pair of wings. Sukasa’s aura intensified, and her eyes shone with a mix of determination and defiance.

Meanwhile, Kuro, with his typical carefree demeanor, watched her from the other side of the platform.

—Hey, have you thought of a strategy to beat me yet? —he asked with a mocking smile—. Because if not, you’d better surrender now. —Without giving her time to respond, Kuro began running toward her with determined energy—. Or better yet, I’ll attack first. Get ready, because I won’t hold back!

Sukasa, showing no fear, prepared to launch her attack.

—I can’t let my guard down, this idiot has been causing me trouble since day one... This is my chance to make him pay for everything! —she thought as she focused her energy.

—Flight of the Eagle! —Sukasa shouted, unleashing a gust of wind that hit Kuro head-on, sending him flying violently off the platform.

Kuro, surprised by the force of the attack, was swept away by the wind current.

—Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! —he screamed as his body flew through the air, crashing into the spectator section and leaving a massive hole in the ground.

Teacher Kaishin Arashi, impressed by the speed of the match, raised his hand.

—Kuro is out of bounds. The winner is Sukasa Kaze! —he announced, leaving everyone in complete awe.

The students couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.

—That’s impossible! —shouted one of them—. Our King lost! This is unheard of... How could this happen?

—That girl has incredible strength, but... —commented another, staring at the giant hole in the ground caused by Kuro’s impact.

Kuro, completely unharmed except for the dust covering his protective suit, began to get up from the hole.

—Darn it, I’m covered in dust... —he complained, brushing himself off as the students watched in disbelief.

—That’s incredible! —the students murmured—. He doesn’t have a single scratch! He’s just covered in dust, but he doesn’t seem to have any serious injuries from the impact. It’s amazing...

Kuro, shaking off the dust, sighed.

—That’s what I get for letting my guard down... —he said, jumping nimbly back onto the platform. He approached Sukasa with an amused smile—. Wow, you’re really strong.

Extending his hand to Sukasa, Kuro whispered with a mischievous grin:

—Come on, don’t be proud. I know you’re still upset about what happened this morning, but we should put those issues aside, don’t you think?

Sukasa, without even looking him in the eye, walked away without shaking his hand.

—Don’t think this fixes anything —she said, giving him a cold, threatening look before leaving.

Kuro, with an expression somewhere between amusement and resignation, watched her go.

—Wow... that woman really hates me —he murmured to himself.

Suddenly, Teacher Kaishin appeared behind Kuro with a look of pure fury.

—Kuro! —he shouted.

Kuro turned slowly, his expression nervous.

—He… hello, Kaishin... —he began to say with obvious nervousness.

Teacher Kaishin didn’t give him time.

—You only said I’d referee one test! But it turns out you roped me into two miserable tests! —he growled, stepping closer menacingly.

Kuro raised his hands in surrender, trying to calm him down.

—Hey Kaishin, I can explain. We just need to calm down a bit...

Kaishin, summoning his Reiken, glared at him furiously.

—I told you to call me Teacher Kaishin! —he shouted as he chased him across the platform—. Get over here, you miserable animal!

Kuro, his eyes wide open, ran toward the locker rooms with Kaishin hot on his heels, brandishing his Reiken.

—Wait, let’s talk about this like adults! Aaaaaa! —Kuro screamed as he ran as fast as he could.

The students watching the scene between Kuro and Kaishin couldn’t help but laugh at the chaotic situation, which contrasted sharply with the intensity of the previous match.

—Alright, now that we have the fifth and final result, I’d like to call the five candidates who fought in these intense battles! —Isein said, as the audience erupted in applause. The five candidates, some with minor injuries already treated, stepped onto the platform, still feeling the tension and exhaustion from their matches.

The students were eager to see what would happen next.

Isein, observing the expectant faces, took the microphone again.

—I know many of you believe that only one of these candidates could become a Sentinel, given that only one person defeated one of our higher ranks. —There was silence among the crowd, and the candidates’ faces reflected disappointment—. But... let me tell you that, starting today, you five are officially Sentinels of Arkanum Academy. —The applause and cheers of excitement filled the air.

Even the candidates were surprised.

—What?! —exclaimed Hino, her eyes wide open—. I didn’t think we’d make it...

Sukasa, with a triumphant smile, crossed her arms.

—It was to be expected... I should’ve guessed —she said proudly.

Hiro, laughing, nodded.

—Yeah, they fooled us all! Haha, this is amazing.

However, not everyone shared the same excitement.

Katashi, furious, walked up to Isein and grabbed him by the collar of his uniform.

—I don’t accept this! Did you make us fight just for your entertainment? —he growled, his face twisted with rage.

Isein, unfazed, gave him a sharp, threatening look.

—Let go of me... or you’ll lose that hand, Katashi —he said coldly.

Katashi, frightened by Isein’s intensity, quickly let go and took a step back.

—Anyway... I won’t be part of this farce —he said, still furious, before storming off, visibly upset.

Isein, straightening his uniform and regaining his composure, continued with a more relaxed smile.

—Alright, putting that aside, I’m pleased to present each of you with your respective coats, symbols of the hierarchy in our academy. —The newly appointed Sentinels received their coats with a mix of pride and excitement.

—Now, I ask you to listen to a few words from one of our Kings. —The crowd erupted in applause and cheers once more.

Igurū stepped forward with his usual serious expression. Taking the microphone, his words were firm and direct.

—I’m pleased to welcome you, new Sentinels of Arkanum. Always remember that you’ve earned this coat through your own efforts. I hope you wear it wisely, because this garment doesn’t just symbolize rank—it also represents responsibility, effort, and dedication. I expect a lot from you. —Igurū paused, his eyes scanning each of the new Sentinels—. Thank you.

The students applauded enthusiastically.

Isein, taking the microphone once more, bid farewell with a smile.

—Alright, I, Isein, one of the four Jotas of the academy, declare the end of the annual Sentinel selection. —The applause and cheers filled the field as the event came to a close.

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Later, in Igurū’s room...

Igurū, sitting in his room, sighed as he unbuttoned the collar of his uniform.

—Today was a hectic day... and tomorrow will be worse —he said quietly, looking out the window—. I wonder what happened to Kuro... I didn’t see him after Teacher Kaishin chased him... though, eh, he’s probably fine. —With a shrug, he settled down to rest.

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Meanwhile, in the Arkanum infirmary...

Kuro was lying in a bed in the infirmary, his entire body in a cast from his neck down to his feet. Tsume, the academy’s doctor, watched him with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

—Wow, it seems Kaishin didn’t hold back this time. Don’t worry, with the medicine I gave you, you’ll be as good as new tomorrow, hehe.

Kuro, his voice weak but grateful, sighed.

—Thanks, Tsume... really, I appreciate it.

Tsume laughed as he put away the medical tools.

—Now tell me... what did you do this time to make Kaishin so angry?

Kuro, unable to move, smiled with a hint of guilt.

—I just asked him to referee the tests... well, I only asked him to do one test, but then something came up, and I forgot to tell him he’d have to referee another one.

Tsume burst out laughing.

—Ha! You know very well he doesn’t like those events.

Kuro, with a slight gesture of resignation, nodded.

—I know... but at least I got something good out of it.

Tsume, curious, raised an eyebrow.

—Oh, really? What good could possibly come out of all this?

Kuro, with a sly smile on his plaster-covered face, murmured:

—That today... I won’t have to share a room with that woman.

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In Sukasa’s room... and Kuro’s

Sukasa, after a long day, was settling into her bed when she suddenly sneezed.

—Huh, I think someone’s talking about me... —she murmured, as she got comfortable to sleep.